Softening the light would be one way to do it. I'm a traditional, "non-digital" type photographer though, so I would have a different approach. First, get a film with a better latitude. The most latitude you can get is with b&w film, so you may want to try that. If not, just find out a good color film with good latitude. My next suggestion is somewhat similar to the Ansel Adams "zone system". Take a light reading from the darkest area of the photo area and one reading from the lightest area of the photo area. This will tell you if you have enough latitude in your color film to keep all the detail in your picture. If your photo area has 3 or 4 stops difference from light to dark, most color films can handle that. So then what? Films typically handle more overexposure than under exposure and in a color film you usually only have one to one and a half stops of underexposure latitude. So take the reading you got from the darkest area in your photo (that you want to keep detail in), and add 1 to 1 1/2 stops. In your photo, if you want to keep detail in the inside of the microphone, which seems to be the darkest area, take a reading from that specific area, add 1 stop for color film or 2 stops for black and white, and you are done. I know you probably won't use a traditional camera, but maybe someone can use that information. Does that help any? Andrew